an Ostentatiously Austere October...join here for a frugal month ahead!

[PeoniesforMissAnnersley]

All welcome to join the MN frugaleers for another month of recording our spends, frugal wins and frugal fails!

NSD = No Spend Day (let's have as many as possible!)

LSD = Low Spend Day

Should be nsd today but really need to order some bras to find one I can wear with my wedding dress. I suppose if I don't do it today I'll only have to do it tomorrow...

When I was at uni I used to go and get free condoms. ..used to go to a gum clinic where they'd give me a few packets of 3. I don't have the time or inclination for that. .....I do have the inclination to say no thou ha ha

Dds shoes would improve with a polish but what I'm really not happy with is the ankle strap. Dd pulls it so tight there is practically no velcro on that part and the end trails on the floor. I want tbar buckle shoes but it appears they are no where to be found.

£18.50 swimming lesson

Hello, can I join? Am trying very hard to be frugal and not spend my maternity money faster than I get it, especially as it stops in February and I'm not going back to work!

LSD today, about £5 on four Xmas presents for 5mo DS from China with free shipping.

Pass I find the same thing with DD1's shoes. I now won't buy the ones that look like a ballet pump with an extra strap added on, I prefer the ones that look like they are supposed to have a strap.

Really spendy today. Tesco £195, but it is almost 2 weeks since I shopped, I also included DD2's party party food, some colour in Christmas cards for pass the parcel, and a few bits for Christmas stockings and a birthday present for a friend's daughter.

£23 for a new baby gift for my great nephew, forgot to get something for his big brother so still need to get that.

£12 in the £shop buying a few bits and bobs, but mainly 6 little tiaras (metal, not plastic) for DD's party bags. £6.24 in the works to grab a couple of extra bits for one more party bag.

We only invited 4 friends to DD's party, and 2 of them can't come. Fortunately the 2 who are coming gave older sisters who are friends of DD1, so they are going to come too. 6 little girls is plenty for a party!

audit what do u mean about the shoes. ...they all look like they are meant to have a strap. Just want a pair where if I buy narrow fitting shoes the strap is made for narrow feet. But she's only in reception and I'm clueless lol. Sounds like you are planning the same party as me. Dd only wanted 4 friends so fingers x they aren't ill! What are you doing for music/prizes etc?

I think these look flimsy like they shouldn't have a strap but these look more sturdy.

Dd's had hers for a month, they're the patent ones, and despite the fact that she falls at least once a day they're not even scuffed.

£10 aldi milk bread wine for party tonight and deodrant.

I'm writing the first half of October off. I knew it would be expensive but feel like I have gone too far. I plan to now have a cheap October (what's left) and November in the lead up to Christmas.

Had a wonderful night with friends at mine but spent way too much in catering the evening. Luckily I have lots of meat which we didn't get to cook that I have put in the freezer for other days. Also lots of lovely left overs.

Oops (hic) spent an undisclosed amount on lunch and cocktails during a day of wedding dress shopping with DFriend. I was determined to buy a high street under-£100 dress but have today tried on a really nice, very expensive dress. It's not 'the one' but has highlighted how dangerous going dress shopping 'for fun' might be!

£11 meal out
£6 on a reed diffuser, they're £25 online. Flipping love tk maxx.

Six EBay? Or would that be a step too far?. An independant dress maker could alter it for £100 or so.

Hey fluffy! Yes ebay a great idea! I'm looking out for a vintage, lacy, high necked dress (as close to downton abbey as you can get without being fancy dress) size 10-12 if anyone sees anything frugally suitable!

DH has spent a lot of money today.

Lunch £43
Emergency food supplies £110
Standard groceries £130
Sunglasses because his broke £45
Wet suits and boots for DDs
Track suits for DDs £?

He's due To be paid next week.

Where we live we always get power cuts-we were one of the lucky ones off for over 24 hours last Christmas anyway with the dc so going candles are no good as when we put them up high they make no light. Does anyone have any recommendations of anything? Obviously don't want to spend much!

Going to make a batch of leek and potato soup today to use the free leeks I got in my shopping last week

six My good friend and I go shopping once a year for the day. It's fair to say that a lot more gets spent in the afternoon after a bottle of lunchtime wine than in the morning

Love leek and potato soup spotty DH seems to be flush this week and came home with two small flasks from Tesco the other day as I am making lots of soup lately, the kids can take it to school for lunch now it's getting cooler.

I spent £12 in M&S yesterday that I didn't need to. HOWEVER, I called in 5 minutes before closing as I was coming back from taking DD to a party. For £12 I got;

3 loaves of bread. 4 fresh salmon fillets. A packet of vegetable crisp bakes. Two massive pots of salad, two fresh pasta sauces (can be frozen, will be useful to chuck vegetables into and serve on busy nights) large tub of coleslaw, a huge chunk of cheese and a HUGE pork joint, reduced from £12 to £2.50.

Felt pleased and frugal, but probably didn't need to spend it though!!!

spotty Can only think of torches?

I've got a bit relaxed this week about spending as we seem to be on track this month, so making the effort again this week.

need a strong one that is a fab haul, especially the pork.
£16.22 in Tesco yesterday on battery charger and offal to make dog food with. Hoping for an NSD today.

Nsd

spotty a few years ago I bought my sister a wind up hurricane lantern from Boots - she lived in a tropical cyclone zone. It was part of their Christmas range but I bet a camping shop would do one, then you wouldn't need to worry about batteries either. I think it lasted about 20-30 mins before needing to be wound up again.

Ooo thanks

We used oil camping lamps last year & the camping led lanterns Tesco had for children lots of light & no fear of injury.

Out for dinner last night €5 had paid for vouchers for two starters & two mains a few weeks ago, so the €5 was dessert for two & two glasses of wine & a coffee

Frugal win, just took the clarks shoes I was wittering on upthread and they exchanged for a shiny new pair that are more suited for skinny feet!

Frugal fail....got so excited by that I replaced dd trainers as they were looking knackered and now at soft play. ...but hey, I'm happy

Hoping for nsd. Have been to already paid for gym, off out to cavery but pil paying!

Frugal food day -spent 82p on carrots and barley to add to green soup I made from leftover veg for lunch. Resisted lunch in town.

Hoping to do the front "garden" today (strip of land on either side of front doors) as it is looking ratty, after payday I'll get some winter pansies from Aldi to brighten it up.

£165 on new broadband package. £2.49 a month for bb & £175 cashback on quidco.

Plus whatever primus charge me for leaving them. Prob £50 but our bills going up to £20 a month if i stay with them so I'm still better off & plusnets a 12 month contract not 18.

Carvery

Pass I didn't explain it very well, but Spotty got it exactly. The first one she linked to looks like a little ballet pump, then they slapped on a (long) Velcro strap, the second one, which is a more traditional little girls shoe (which at 7 I consider DD1 to be, despite wearing age 8-9 clothes) which is shaped up and around the strap and ankle making it more supportive.

Last night £5 in church collection, money for DD1's first communion class collection and lighting candles after mass (for little Eve on another thread). Then £13 on McDonalds for tea as it gets too late for DD2 to eat which I wouldn't actually mind if the child ever went to sleep

Today, NSD.

Found out last night DD1 had been invited to a party today but hadn't given me the invitation. The advantage of DD2's tiny party is that I spoke to the 2 mums, pushed it back an hour and DD1 can go for 2.5 hours of the 3 hour party.

Now need to dash off and collect DD1 ready for the next party!